1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to that field of devices consisting of articles of manufacture known as holders for fishing rods. Specifically, the instant invention is a holder for protecting a fly rod and reel while in use, but not being held.
2. Background Information
The prior art known to applicant discloses that rod and reel holders constructed in various configurations are well known. Unfortunately, none of the holders known to Applicant are designed specifically to accommodate and protect a rod and reel combination useful in fly fishing.
In the prior art, fishing pole holders have generally been constructed to serve one of two purposes. The first purpose served in the prior art is to simply embrace the reel while it is being transported or while it is being used, but not held by the fisherman. An example of this sort of holder may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,385, issued to L. A. Braatz on Apr. 18, 1950. When configured in this fashion, that portion of the reel which is not embraced by the holder is exposed to splashing water (often salt water), and unwanted debris such as sand and dirt. Furthermore, the rod handle juts out and away from the holder. The rod handle is exposed to the same elements noted above. Worse still, by sticking out in such a manner, the rod handle can easily be bumped, potentially dislodging the rod/reel from the holder. Furthermore, if the fisherman accidentally bumps into the handle while moving about, the handle can be broken or snapped free of the stationary reel.
Such exposure was not an overwhelming concern when fishing, rods and reels were relatively inexpensive. In the event that the reel became damaged due to the elements, or the rod was damaged accidentally while the reel was in the holder, the average fisherman could usually afford to simply purchase a replacement. However, with the advent of saltwater fly fishing, and significant increases in the purchase price of all fly fishing rods and reels this calculation has changed. For example, the modem saltwater fly rod and reel is a fairly expensive piece of equipment, with inexpensive models costing hundreds of dollars and expensive ones costing thousands of dollars. Clearly, any holder to be used in conjunction with these expensive saltwater rod/reels should be constructed so as to offer the maximum protection possible. In the case of the prior art reel holders, that level of protection is not available.
The second purpose served in the prior art is to embrace the handle portion of the rod while it is being transported or while it is being used, but not held by the fisherman. An example of this sort of holder (a rod-only holder) may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,027, issued to J. L. Acker on Mar. 26, 1996. When configured in this fashion, the entire reel is exposed to splashing water (often salt water), and unwanted wind borne debris such as sand and dirt.
An additional drawback of the rod-only holder is that it is utterly unamenable to use with a fly rod, instead being configured to accommodate a general purpose rod and reel. The general purpose rod and reel is proportioned differently from a fly rod. The reel mounted on a general purpose rod is usually locatable some distance from the end of the rod most proximate to the reel, that is, the reel is farther up the rod, more toward the eyelets of the rod and farther from the end of the rod held in the fisherman's hand.
The fly rod and reel is proportioned quite differently. On a fly rod, the mounting for the reel is located very near to the end of the pole at which it would be held, were it a general purpose rod. In fact, the fly rod is actually held by the fisherman in a different way than the general purpose rod. When using a fly rod, the rod is gripped above the reel, the hand of the fisherman being placed between the reel and the rod eyelets. Consequently, the handle end of the fly rod does not extend very far past the mounted fly rod reel. Essentially, the reel of a fly rod is mounted nearly at the end of the rod, while the general purpose rod has its reel mounted about one third of the way up the rod, toward the eyelets.
The difficulty of using a holder constructed for use with a general purpose reel should now be apparent. The rod-only holder is constructed so that the end of the rod most proximate to the reel may be inserted into the holder. These holders are usually tubular in construction, a configuration most suitable for holding the cylindrical fishing rod. The prior art reveals that when using the rod-only holder, the fisherman inserts the handle end of the rod into the holder, and the reel comes to rest on the holder, the holder having too small a diameter to accommodate the reel.
This sort of holder will not work when used with a fly rod. As has been noted above, the fly rod has little to no handle extending below the reel. Hence, the prior art rod-only holders simply will not work satisfactorily with a fly rod. There is too little rod handle available to be inserted into the rod-only holder for the fly rod/reel to be safely maintained in place.
Applicant is aware of no other fishing rod and reel holder specifically adapted for use with a fly rod and reel such that the rod and reel are held safely stationary and unwanted materials are prevented from contacting the fly reel, while the rod is not being held by the fisherman.